The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-09
BY Either Jumping or Falling From
an Elevated Railway Track In
New York.
TRAINS BLOOKAOED FROM NISTH
TO PIPTY-SECOND STREET,
Induces Men TO Walk the Narrow
Path, but, Panic Stricken, They
Jump the Track.


lisbment OF Nicoll the tailor, on the
Bowery. near Houston street. The
elevated trains on the down track
we're blocksded from Ninth street up
as far ae Fifty second street. All the
trains were crowded with people on
their way to work. Along side the
track Is small platform leading from
the tt ltions, and used by the EN-.
ployes. When the O'clock train
came to q standstill, between Four
teenth and Seventeenth Streets man
named Patrick Mathews, of Alt L ct
Twenty-fourth street, who was stand
ing on the platform OF the rear car,
opened the gaze and got out on the
narrow platform. He started to walk
to the Fourteenth street station, and
was followed by numb5r OF men,
who were anxious 10 get to their
work When within fifteen feet of the
station the train started. Mathews
was panic stricken, and supposing
thst he was going TO fall of the plat
form tn the etreet below he cutched
hold Of the man who WAS standing
beside him and they both fell to the
ground and were instantly killed.
The other men became panic stricken
aud jumped into the etreet. The
greatest excitement prevailed aud
spread among the passengers, and it
was as much as the train hands could
do to keep them in the cars and TO
prevent them jumping from the train.
A rumor was circulate d that collision
bad occurred. The women in the
cars screamed and tainted. They
were in mid air and no restofatives
could be procured. At last the train
was brought to the station and most
OF the passengers got off and tJok the
surface cars down town. 1t was nearly
8 o'clock before the blockade was
lifted and the trains were run on reg
ular time. The distance which the
men fell is about thirty feet. Police
men were standing on the corner at
the tins and as soon as they saw
what bad occurred sent in an
ambulance call. In Ave minutes
there were six ambulancee at Four
teenth street. The dying and wound.
ed were taken Immediately to the
New York, Bellevue and st. Vincent's
hospitals. Hundreds OF people gath
cred around the scene OF the accident.
Capt. Clinchy was on hand with q
squad OF twelve men and kert the
crowd back. The sidewalk and street
were covered with blood. The killed
were: Patrick Mathews; an unknown
man about so years Of sge; the third
man Ia also VI known. Toe wounded
ar George Mccartney, injured hip
and back; Robert Shoemaker, back
and leg; William Kennedy, back and
side; James Lyon, arms, back and
head; jose Grandandin, injured in
hack and ribs and general confusion |;
Emil Weller, injured head, back and
side.
The narrow platf rm from which
the people fell was about 81 feet
high. 1t is used by the tackmen
when on duty, and above Fourteenth
street ia not provided with a hand
rail. When the passengers left the
blocked cars and took to the plat
fem the gatemsn of the trains
offered no opj actiops, as they ought
TO have done. The crowd that
left the cars for the platform was
composed wholly of men. There were
I'M paratively few women in the
blockaded trains, aud none, 80 far as
is known, ventured upon the track.
A long cortege OF men was picking
its way slowly when suddenly the
train anead started up and began Ia
move. The next one followed suit
and suCc ssive series Of jerks went
along the line up to the last train
L Aoh one of them shook the track
with a convulsive movement thai
frightened those In front and made
them hurry ahead rapidly to reach
the station safely. Those behind saw
they wtrs ecared and grew nervous in
lurn. Some OF them were looking
anxiously around for a support and |
bunch OF dozen, moving In single file
Just below Fifteenth street in sight o
the platform, scurried forward to catCt
q gate o. the nearest car, when thu
train, OF which it was a part, suddenly
started ahead and nearly shook thu
foremost one of his feet. Shrinking
back Ia fright from the moving wheeli
he crowded against the man behind
him on the very edge OF the mario "
plsnk walk. FIR m below where {
G owd was wa; ching the progress of thu
promenAders in mid air a shout o
warning arose, but too late. The mar
seized wildly at his ne gAbor In ter
ror OF his life, the latter drew back
but the crowd behind was pressing
on. The train was moving ON thu
right, Those far her behiAd saw (
momentary launching Of the crowd IL
front aud than one, two, half dcEer
we're seen falling over the edge intC
the street below, from which arose
frightened wall that turned int
shrieks OF terror and despair as mai
sft n man struck the pavement anC
lay mangled and bleeding. Then fol
lowed wild rush In the street and {
wilder aud more desperate one allow
In the air. The ventuIeeome pedes
trian caught at the gates of the trair
a. il passed and chung with the griI
Of despair. 1t pulled up and wa
stopped almost Immediately. tn,
ffightened and breathless men wert
pulled in and room made for th,
othera In two minutes the plsnl
walk was clear. Down below, In thu
street. a scene OF horror was In prog
rese. The men had fallen in the mid
die Of the street on the surface ca
track. In q ghastly heap thsy
lay, some motionless, SOM
grooming, family, and ont
shrisking wildly in pain and terror
A crowd Of thousands who hsd
watched the blockade from below,
sureed around and closed In upon the
scene A police officer who had Wit
messed the occurrence sent out calls
for ambulsnces. While volunteers
were sorting out the heap OF the fallen
and pol cemena were urging hack the
crowd, the ambulsnces arrived. Tbs
surgeons turned in to render immedi'
ate and pressing aid and the amon;
lancee received fheirload sud RAilnpsd
back to the huspitsla Ten had fallen
from the track-that is, ten were
found dead or injured. II auy es.
capped unhurt, they we're not counted.
The three At the bottom .! the bean